Downing eager 'to put things right'

Stewart Downing says there is more than enough experience in the West Ham United dressing room to arrest the recent slide in results.

Downing returned to action following a dead leg in Saturday's 1-0 Barclays Premier League loss at Hull City, but could not prevent the Hammers from falling to a controversial defeat.

Hull won through Robbie Brady's disputed 12th-minute penalty - a spot-kick awarded after the Irishman flung himself to the ground after coming into contact with fellow countryman Joey O'Brien. West Ham's frustration was compounded when referee Kevin Friend failed to award the visitors a penalty when Jake Livermore handled inside the Hull box.

Downing, though, is adamant that Sam Allardyce's squad will ignore the pressure and turn things around - starting by going for a victory at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

"Especially when we're not winning games at the minute, I just wanted to get out there and help the lads," said the No23. "We've had a few injuries so it was just nice to be back.

"I was obviously disappointed we didn't get the result because we had plenty of chances and plenty of opportunities to get the goal. That's just our luck at the minute, but we have got to put things right."

The likes of Downing, captain Kevin Nolan and goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen have amassed hundreds of Premier League games between them and the England winger believes their experience will be invaluable in helping the Hammers to return to the winners' enclosure.

"There will be a lot of people saying 'They've lost games' and you get the media outside saying 'Look at them, they're struggling' and looking at the negatives, but inside we have to keep doing what we're doing, which is creating chances.

"We've proved we can beat the best and we can do again. We're just having a little sticky spell. The pleasing thing is that we're creating chances. It would be even worse if we weren't, but we are.

"Hopefully, sooner rather than later we'll get some more players back and we'll get some wins."

Downing and his team-mates were left frustrated and upset by the decisions that awarded Hull a penalty and denied West Ham a spot-kick of their own.

"Especially the one we didn't get given because I was near it and I had a great view of it and I think he (Livermore) handballed it.

"I think we're being a little bit unlucky at the minute with free-kicks going against us in certain areas and in the penalty box.

"With their penalty, I'm not sure if it was one or not, but Joey reckons he (Brady) jumped into him. That's the way it is at the minute but nobody is sulking and we're determined to turn it around."

The perfect place to turn it around would be White Hart Lane, where 3,000 West Ham fans will be desperate to see the team secure victory over their London derby rivals.

With Manchester United and Manchester City both suffering shock defeats at the weekend, Downing knows the Hammers could easily be the next team to surprise a member of the Barclays Premier League's top six.

"It's going to be a challenge but we go there and we'll have a go at them. Obviously, they'll expect to win with what they are challenging for, but we're getting players back fit and we have a chance to win it like we had chances at Hull on Saturday.

"You saw what can happen in this league with Man City losing to Cardiff, beating Manchester United and losing at Aston Villa on Saturday.

"That's the type of league it is - we could easily go to Spurs and come away with a win."